Really struggling with FODMAP diet - It's not working as well as before!
Posted , 3 users are following.
I was diagnosed with IBS and started the Fodmap elimination back in 2019 with an NHS dietitian. It turned out all the fodmap groups were triggers.
As a result, I've been on a very restricted diet (as I am also vegetarian), but it's totally worth it not to get the irritation of IBS.
However, since around Feb, many (but not all) of my symptoms have come back even though I am following the same diet that worked (I've not made any changes).
Because of my bowel symptoms, I don’t sleep well, and I've also noticed that lack of sleep is a trigger, so I don’t know if that's trapped me in a vicious circle!
Until March, I was being supervised by an NHS dietician. But she discharged me saying that she’s reached the end of what she can do and I should stick with the diet and ride out any irritations.
I really am stuck. I now am pooping nearly after every meal (although it comes easily). I also feel tired all the time. I take rice protein powder, which helps a bit with tiredness, but my general energy isn’t that great. I’m worried that being stuck on a restrictive might be harmful to my long term health. However, when ever I try anything new (even foods that are labelled as “yellow” in the Monash Fodmap app or “green” in smaller quantities), I just get a bad reaction.
I also struggle with hunger. At least 6 times a month I wake up night feeling hungry. And during the day, I feel both hungry and full at the same time at meal times, which is not a great feeling.
I don’t know what to do. Any ideas? Thanks!
0 likes, 5 replies
sam18386 extradust
Posted
hi extradust, i was originally told i had IBS and being veggie i was told to follow the fodmap diary to the letter - it never worked it's taken over 15 years and I now have a really firm coeliac diagnosis. i tried to sue my doctors but they got away with it scot free! IBS? most doctors will feed you that line - nonsense. try speaking to a general dietitian, NOT a fodmap one! has anyone ever tried a camera? have they said cut out bread, pasta, pizza etc? have they told you no lactose (milk sugar). what happens when you stop the diet? how do you feel when you stop it? you may have a problem with all foods but none and you'll end up with malnutrition! ask for a camera, ask to speak to a 'normal' dietitian, ask a lactose test. IBS? a set of symptoms as diagnosed by people who think it's very funny! there's physically no such thing! follow what you want, chat to people on here but go back to your doctors armed with lots of information. fight. it's your health oh and good luck. i think you DON'T have IBS. it's something else otherwise the diet would have helped.
extradust sam18386
Posted
Thanks for the advice! I have eliminated both gluten and lactose as part of the fodmap diet. I had a test for gluten and it said I wasn't allergic (although it does run in the family, as both my mum and sister are). The fodmap diet was working in the beginning, it's just in the last couple of months symptoms have come back. I'll definitely do more research and try a general dietitian as well, and I'll also look into the camera. I did see a general dietitian originally (who referred me to fodmap), but she wasn't very good, but I'll try another one. Thanks for the tips! 😃
sam18386 extradust
Posted
hi extradust, well done you! don't believe everything that dietitian says, general dietitians aren't specialist but are better than fodmap ones! if you speak to a company called coeliac UK they would give you the correct advice, coeliac disease is frequently misdiagnosed as IBS as it's cheaper and doesn't involve a camera. if you look on here there's a coeliac forum, they'd help! good luck. 🤞
extradust sam18386
Posted
Thanks that link about coeliac disease is super helpful. I think I have most of the symptoms other than weight loss (I've actually put on weight since following FODMAP, which is bizarre). I'll look into it more. Thank you so much as your help has pointed me in the right direction!
Marina_Dee extradust
Posted
As you are vegetarian do you eat all dairy products? If so it could be the lactose in them. This was the trigger for me. I cut out all dairy and now I feel fine. Lots of "dairy free" items in the shops now and also nut milks and cheeses etc. By the ever increasing amount of space that these products are taking on the supermarket shelves there is a massive demand for them which may indicate more of us are intolerant to dairy than we thought.